The Daily Telegraph - Sport

Jones takes huge gamble by axing stalwart Brown

Ashton preferred for Test with South Africa Nine other players are sent home from camp

- Gavin Mairs RUGBY NEWS CORRESPOND­ENT in Vilamoura

Eddie Jones has made one of the most significan­t selections of his tenure by dropping Mike Brown for the first time for Saturday’s Test against South Africa – opening the door for a first England cap for Chris Ashton in more than four years.

Brown, England’s most-capped full-back with 72 appearance­s, has played in 29 out of 31 Tests under Jones, including three starts on the left wing during the tour of South Africa in June.

Yet on a day of surprise decisions, the 33-year-old was yesterday one of 10 players who were released to fly back to England from the training camp in the Algarve, casting doubts on his World Cup prospects.

Jones also sent Saracens flanker Michael Rhodes and Gloucester No8 Ben Morgan, who were both thought to be in contention for starting places, back to their clubs.

That raises the prospect of Maro Itoje and Brad Shields coming into a new-look back row alongside Tom Curry, with Charlie Ewels under considerat­ion for a place in the second row alongside George Kruis.

Courtney Lawes, meanwhile, will remain in Portugal to continue his rehabilita­tion from a back injury but will not be considered for selection for Saturday’s match.

There will be also be a new-look back three following Brown’s omission, with Elliot Daly to retain his place at full-back with Ashton, who has played just one match for his new club Sale Sharks this season because of a seven-week ban for a dangerous tackle, in strong contention to join Jonny May on the wings.

Ashton, 31, has not started for England since the defeat by New Zealand in June 2014 but Jones has been hugely impressed by him.

“He has come into camp and is full of beans. He has a good attitude, is a physically fit body and is desperate to play for us,” said Jones.

It is only the second time Brown has not been selected in a matchday 23 since Jones took charge in January 2016, first when he was rested against Fiji later that year and a Test against Australia in 2017 when suffering from concussion. Indeed he has been virtually ever present since Jones’s predecesso­r Stuart Lancaster took charge of England in 2012, winning 69 of his 72 caps since then.

Jones has retained 25 players, with the other players returning to England being Nathan Earle, Ted Hill, Alex Lozowski, Mike Rhodes, Sam Underhill, Richard Wiggleswor­th, Joe Cokanasiga and Nick Schonert.

The head coach will name his 23man squad tomorrow, with his decisions at fly-half and midfield also under scrutiny.

It may be too soon for Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi to make his first start since 2014, with indication­s that he may have to be content with a place on the bench.

England’s players are acutely aware of the physical challenge that awaits them on Saturday, with Itoje, who sat out training yesterday morning to manage his workload, claiming he would do whatever it takes to defeat the Springboks.

Itoje was criticised for mocking Glasgow Warriors’ players when celebratin­g a try that was not given in the Champions Cup victory for Saracens, but the 24-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Sunday, defended his actions.

“When I play rugby I go out there to do whatever I can to help my team win,” said Itoje. “That just happened, it’s not as if I went into the game to celebrate like that. Everyone are entitled to their opinions.

“It just happened, but most of my energy is doing what I perceive my role to be in order to get a positive result for the team. And that is where most of my energy will be geared towards.

“Whatever South African team you play, whether it’s under-20s or senior rugby, there’s always that physical challenge and you have to meet – if not surpass – it. That’s probably the biggest thing when you play South Africa.”

Jamie George, who started all three Tests against South Africa in June in the absence of co-captain Dylan Hartley, described the Springboks’ Malcolm Marx, who missed the series because of injury, as the best hooker in the world. “They are such a physical team from one to 15 – no matter who they pick they pride themselves on that,” said George.

“We’re aware that our intent can never be questioned. We’re going to go out there and rip into it and put our physical stamp on the game. We’re very aware that we want to start with a bang.

“We’re aware of what previous results are, but don’t think of it as putting more pressure on us. The way I see it, it’s a new season despite the fact we only played them a few months ago.

“It’s a fresh start and an opportunit­y to put in a good strong performanc­e against a strong South Africa team that could put us in good stead going forward into the next three games.

“It’s probably what we need as a forward pack. It’s going to be a big test for us but having such a big test first up is what we needed.”

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